Officer Mayy Friedman with the San Francisco Police Department questions a group of people suspected of running a sidewalk bicycle “chop shop” near the main branch of the San Francisco Library. (Mike Koozmin/2014 S.F. Examiner)

Letters: ‘Chop shop’ legislation is simply about crime

Jennifer Friedenbach’s contention that chop shop legislation targets homeless people is misguided. The legislation properly aims at robbers, thieves and their supporters, regardless of their religion, ethnicity, gender affiliation, socioeconomic status, age or what have you.

Another more accurate way of stating Friedenbach’s statement is: “It’s OK to engage in robbery and theft if you are homeless.”

Of course, to denigrate the self-denigrating homeless people is to invite vitriol from the hyper-politically correct contingent in San Francisco. And she was absolutely correct when she said “nothing will change.”
There will be as many homeless people on the streets of San Francisco 10 years from now as there are now, maybe more.

Not all of us get a warm, fuzzy feeling when we see a line of tents on the sidewalk.

Columnist Robyn Purchia gets it entirely wrong about the proposed “Green Benefits District.” Spearheaded by the woman who was instrumental to the successful campaign to shutter the beloved HANC Recycling Center and replace it with a gated “community” garden, it is “green” only in terms of revenues to be obtained via a regressive parcel tax, which may be as much as $500 per property.

The farmer’s market mentioned has few actual farmers, is very pricey and operates for a profit. It was instituted, like many such elitist gentrification initiatives, without any input from nearby residents and businesses. Three food stores have shut down since it opened.

This “benefits” district will benefit only the few who will control the pursestrings. It is one more step in privatizing the commons, a goal that San Franciso elites work very hard to achieve.

All data, including all measurements and calculations of area, is obtained from various sources and has not been, and will not be, verified by San Francisco Examiner. All information should be independently reviewed and verified for accuracy.
Properties may or may not be listed by the office/agent presenting the information.